Share

SHARED By: Sarah Pachelli, Chef Consultant at Kitchen Little Cooking School

These green superfoods might just give you super powers! Try them out in these yummy recipes for a delicious treat you and your little one will enjoy!

1. SPINACH
Super Powers: tons of fiber, immunity booster, vitamin A which promotes healthy skin and vitamin K which is great for bones and brains.

Polka Dot Green Cupcake
What You’ll Need:

• 5 oz baby spinach, stems removed
• 3 eggs or flax eggs*
• 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

*1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water = 1 “flax egg”

What You’ll Do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease or line 12 muffin tins.
• Puree spinach in a food processor, until thoroughly broken down and almost wet.
• In a stand-up mixer, beat eggs (one at a time) with coconut sugar. Once mixture is light and fluffy, slowly pour in olive oil, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Slowly pour flour mixture into spinach mixture. Stir until just combined.
• Fold in chocolate chips.
• Divide the batter between muffin tins.
• Bake 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of a cupcake’s center clean.
• Top with chocolate cream cheese frosting: combine 8 oz full fat cream cheese,1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tbsp cacao powder, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before spreading on cooled cupcakes.

makes 12-14 cupcakes

2. KALE
Super Powers: anti-inflammatory, loaded with iron (more iron per calorie than meat!), filled with antioxidants and combats autoimmune disorders.

Kale Milkshake
What You’ll Need:

• 1/2 cup kale
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 2 dates
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 1/4 cups milk of choice

What You’ll Do:

• Put all ingredients, except milk, in a blender. Blend until broken down.
• Add milk and blend until smooth.

makes 1 milkshake

3. SWISS CHARD
Super Powers: high in protein and vitamin C (more per serving than oranges) lowers blood pressure and maintains healthy blood circulation, rich in biotin which is great for healthy hair and nails.

Swiss Chard Brownies
What You’ll Need:

• 1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp milk of choice, divided
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs of flax eggs*
• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

*1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water = 1 “flax egg”

What You’ll Do:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Blanch swiss chard leaves (Bring a pot of water to boil, add greens and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from liquid and shock in ice cold water.)
• Once sufficiently cooled, take out of water, pat dry and puree in a food processor until completely broken down.
• Melt the chocolate and 2 tbsp milk in a double boiler over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup milk, applesauce, maple syrup, canola oil and vanilla extract. Slowly pour melted chocolate and pureed swiss chard into mixture. If chunky, blend for a few minutes in the food processor. Finally, add whisked eggs to liquid mixture.
• In a separate small bowl, combine flour, cacao powder, salt and baking powder.
• Slowly combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
• Pour batter into a parchment-lined baking dish.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

makes about 12 brownies